Bung and bung-bushing.



B. SMITH.

BUNG AND BUNG BUSHING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, m4.

Patented May16,1916.

wi/memm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN SMITH, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE BARREL & CASK CLOSURE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BUN'G AND BUNGr-BUSHING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1916.

Original application filed March 23, 1914, Serial No. 826,769. Divided and this application filed July 1, 1914. Serial No. 848,381.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN SMITH, of 840 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bungs and Bung-Bushings, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to bungs and bung bushings for barrels and similar receptacles; and it comprises more particularly a bung closure device in which the bung is adapted to be locked in place within a suitable bushing, or'unlocked, by rotational movement, the closure being sealed by a gasket or other packing means, and the construction of the bung being such that wear on the gasket means is reduced to a minimum and substantially eliminated.

The bung closure of the present invention is particularly adapted for use with containers, such as kegs and barrels, in the transport and storage of liquids, particularly beverages such as beer or other malt liquors.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a bung of the above general description characterized by simplicity and solidity of construction, low cost of manufacture, and practical indestructibility.

The principles of the invention will be readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the drawings which are to be understood as illustrating one particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the specific form of bung closure shown being, however, merely typical of constructions comprehended within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a section through the bung and its bushing taken on a plane passing through the longitudinal axis; Fig. 2 is a section taken at right angles to Fig. 1 looking toward the left. Fig. 3 is a similar section looking toward the right.

Referring to the drawings, the bung comprises two telescoping and interlocking sections fitting closely one within the other, of which the outer section 10 is a cylindrical sleeve or thimble, having a closed end 11 and shouldered, as at 12 for a purpose to be more fully hereinafter explained. This may be termed a plug or closure section. Within the upper portion 13 of this outer sleeve section 10 fits slidably the depending portion 14 of an inner bung section having anoutwardl'y projecting flange or shoulder 15 adapted to rest upon the upper edge of the outer bung section; The parts are so proportioned that when flange 15 abuts against the upper edge of 13, the lower edge of 14 also abuts against the inner surface of sleeve shoulder 12. By reason of this arrangement, the bung sections fit together with great compactness and solidity, while overhanging flange 15 serves to efficiently protect the upper edge of the outer sleeve. Furthermore, with this arrangement of parts, the inner bung section is positively guided in its rotation relation to the outer bung section.

For the sake of clearness, it may be stated that section 1011-1213, and section 1415, are referred to throughout the present description as outer section and inner section. respectively because section 14-15 telescopes within section 1011 The bung sections are so coupled together as to be capable of relative rotational movement; while relative movement axially or longitudinally is substantially prevented. While this may be effected in various ways, it is most conveniently accomplished by providing the adjacent or bearing surfaces of parts 13 and 14 with registering grooves of unequal depth, and by, locating in the resultant recess formed by thegrooves a resilient coupling member, such as a piece of spring wire, which is of such size that it may be wholly received within the deeper groove, but which tends to spring into the shallower groove, and thus to lock the bung sections against relative movement longitudinally.

In the present example I have shown the part 14 of the inner bung section provided exteriorly with a circumferential or peripheral groove 16 arranged to register with a somewhat shallower groove 17 on the inner surface of part 13 of the'outer bung section. A split. resilient annulus. or ring 18, in this instance simply a piece of spring wire, is located in the compound circumferential recess formed bythe grooves 16 and 17. The spring wire is of such size that it may lie wholly within groove 16, but it cannot lie wholly within groove 17. The wire is so formed, that when it is made to lie in groove 16, it tends to spring outwardly and to enter groove 17 as far as may be. In this latter position, a portion of the wire necessarily lies in both grooves, and relative 1ongitudinal movement or separation of the bung sections is thereby prevented. In the present example, both sections of the bung are shown as hollow shells or sleeves. Obviously, the inner section might be solid, or substantially so; while the inner portion of the outer section might be solid instead of simply being formed with the closed end 11 as here illustrated. The construction shown, however, is desirable since it materially decreases the weight and cost of metal in the bung.

The bung above described is intended to be used with a bushing of some suitable type, preferably with a bushing within which the the bung may be positively locked. In the present example is illustrated a bushing 20 exteriorly threaded and adapted to be screwed into a suitable orifice in the wall 21 of a barrel, keg, or other like receptacle. This bushing is provided with an inwardly extending annular flange 22 forming a seat against which is adapted to bear a gasket or packing ring 23. As shown, this gasket is also adapted to bear against the upper surface of shoulder 12 on the outer bung section, and to be compressed between said shoulderand the bushing seat. Inner wall 24 of the bung bushing is adapted to receive portion 13 of the outer bung section with a fairly close sliding fit. It is convenient and desirable in practice that the gasket or packing ring shall be attached to the bung so that when the latter is removed from the bushing, the packing ring will be removed at the same time. To this end, the lower or inner portion of the outer bung section is provided with an exterior flange or shoulder 25, forming with the shoulder 12 a groove or recess within which the packing ring 23 may lie and thus be removably secured to the bung. In practice, said gasket is generally of rubber or other resilient material so that it may be slightly stretched to force it over the shoulder 25 without difiiculty. It is to be noted that, when the bung and its bushing are assembled, the shoulder or flange 25 is arranged to lie close to-the edges of the bushing seat. This arrangement is advantageous in that it provides for positive confinement of the gasket between the'seat and inner side walls of the bushing on the one hand, and the cooperating surfaces of the hung on the other;

Suitable means are provided whereby the shoulder 12 of the outer bung section may be forced down so as to squeeze the gasket firmly against the bushing seat and thus to insure a tight seal. To this end the'bung here illustrated is provided with cam projections or lugs 26 secured to or integral with the flanged portion of the inner bung section. These cam projections are best corrugated on their upper surfaces to engage the similarly formed under surfaces of locking ribs or projections 27 extending inwardly from the upper portion of the bung bushing. The locking ribs 27 are separated from each other by oppositely disposed spaces 28 of suliicient 7g width to permit cam projections 26 to pass therethrough in an axial or longitudinal direction when the bung is tobe assembled with the bushing. It should be stated here that the mating surfaces of parts 26 and 27 are slightly sloped so that when thebung is thrust into the bushing and the outer section thereof is turned in one direction or the other, said section is forced inwardly and, bearing against the outer bung section, forces 35 the shoulder portion 12 thereof down upon the gasket to compress the same against the bushing seat. It is to be noted that in this movement the outer bung section does not rotate with the inner section and that there is therefore no rubbing or abrasion between said outer section and the gasket, or between said gasket and the bushing seat. IVear on the gasket is therefore practically eliminated and the life of the gasket is consequently 5 greatly prolonged. It is. to be noted also that in the arrangement here described the outer bung section exerts a direct uniform pressure around the entire annular shoulder 12 of the outer section. This insures a posi tive locking pressure at every point of the packed joint and constitutes a valuable feature of the invention.

The inner bung section may be formed in any suitable way for engagement with a locking wrench or similar tool. Inthe present example, the bung is designed for use with a key or wrench of the type disclosed in my prior application Serial No. 826,7 69, filed March 23, 1914., of which the present application is a division. The upper or outer end or cover 29 of the inner bung section is therefore provided with a central orifice 30 to receive a guiding or centering member on the wrench, while smaller orifices 31 are provided to receive the eccentric turning lugs of the wrench. Any other convenient arrangement suitable for the purpose may, of course, be used in lieu of that here illustrated.

The method of using the bung in practice is sufiiciently obvious from the foregoing description, but may be again briefly summarized. The bung being held in such a position that its cam projections will pass between 2.5 the spaces separating the locking ribs on the bushing, the bung is thrust inwardly and the outer section thereof turned in such a direction that the cooperating sloped cam surfaces of members 26 and 27 force the bung 13o inwardly and crowd the annular shoulder 12 of the outer section firmly against the gasket which is thereby pressed against the bushing seat to form a seal. Accidental reversed rotation or unlocking of the bung is prevented by the corrugations on the mating cam surfaces cooperating to lock the bung in place. Unless a key or wrench of the necessary type be at hand, it is very difficult to rotate the outer bung section so as to unlock the bung; and unauthorized tampering with the bung is thereby effectively prevented. To unlock the bung, the inner bung section is, of course, rotated by means of a key or wrench in the opposite direction to that for locking, and the bung may then be withdrawn as soon as the projections 26 are in such a position that they will clear the locking ribs 27. In assembling the bung sections, the wire 18 may be held wholly within the groove 16 by applying a suitable tool to free ends of the wire. The portion 13 of the outer bung section may then be telescoped over portion 14 of the inner section, the ends of the wire 18 being simultaneously released. As soon as the grooves 16 and 17 register, the divided wire annulus expands and the wire, engaging grooves 17, looks the bung sections together.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. A bung comprising telescoping closely fitting sections provided with registering recesses and capable of relative rotational movement, and a resilient member arranged in said recesses to couple the bung sections together.

2. A bung comprising cylindrical sections telescoping with a close fit,one within the other and relatively rotatable, the adjacent surfaces of said sections being provided with registering circumferential grooves, and a resilient coupling member lying in said grooves.

23. A bung comprising cylindrical sections telescoping with a close fit one within the other and relatively rotatable, the adjacent surfaces of said sections being provided with registering circumferential grooves of unequal depth, and a resilient coupling member lying in said grooves, said member being of a thickness substantially equal to the depth of the deeper groove.

4. A bung comprising cylindrical sections telescoping with a close fit one within the other and relatively rotatable. the adjacent surfaces of said sections being provided with registering circumferential grooves of unequal depth, and a resilient coupling member lying in said grooves, said member being of a thickness greater than the depth of the shallower groove and not substantially greater than the depth of the deeper groove.

5. A bung comprising cooperating closely fitting sections relatively rotatable and provided with registering recesses on adjacent surfaces, and coupling means loosely disposed within said recesses.

6. A bung comprising closely fitting telescoping cylindrical sections capable of relative rotation, the adjacent or bearing surfaces of said sections being provided with registering grooves forming a circumferential locking recess, and coupling means arranged in such recess.

7. A bung comprising telescoping sections each shouldered for engagement with an end edge of the other section, and coupling means for said sections permitting relative rotation thereof.

8. Abung comprising telescoping sections relatively rotatable and provided on adjacent surfaces with grooves cooperating to form a coupling recess, a spring wire arranged in said recess to couple said sections together, and means adapting the bung to be secured within a suitable bung bushing.

9. A bung comprising a pair of relatively rotatable telescoping sleeve sections one of which is closed at one end, said sections being provided on adjacent surfaces with grooves cooperating to form a coupling recess, a spring wire arranged within said recess to couple said sections together, and cam lugs on one of said sections adapted to cooperate with locking means in a suitable bung bushing.

10. The combination, with a bushing having an annular seat and provided with locking ribs of a hung comprising a shouldered outer sleeve section closed at one end and fitting slidably within said bushing, a gasket arranged to be compressed between the outer surface of the sleeve shoulder and the bushing seat, an inner section slidably fitting in the open end of said sleeve section and having a flange arranged to abut against the edge of the open end of said sleeve section when the inner end of said inner section abuts against the inner surface of such sleeve shoulder, means coupling the bung sections together but permitting relative rotation thereof, and cam projections on the flanged portion of said inner section arranged to cooperate with the locking ribs on said bushing.

11. A bung comprising a pair of shouldered sections provided with telescoping portions having cooperating grooves on their adjacent surfaces, each of said portions abutting the shoulder on the other section, and coupling means lying in said grooves to hold said sections together while permitting relative rotation thereof.

12. A bung comprising a plug or closure section, a locking section, said sections being closely fitting and telescoping one withpling recess, coupling means disposed in specification in the presence of'two snbscrib sald recess and permlttlng relatlve rotatlon mg wltnesses. of said sections, and locking means on said B 4 locklng sectlon adapted for eooperatlon wlth ENJAMIN SMITH complementary locklng means 1n n sultable \vltnessesz bung bushlng. ADOLPH H. ROSENFELD,

In testimony whereof I have signed this MAURICE SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

